A ten-year-old boy has admitted to strangling a four-year-old with a skipping rope, police in Sweden say.

The body of the child was discovered in woodland on 16 October in the southern village of Ljungby.

Local newspapers claim the four-year-old, named Texas, was killed after running off from a playground after an argument.

In Sweden the age of criminal responsibility is 15, which means the boy cannot be punished under law and will instead be held in a secure social care unit.

Robert Loeffel, head of information at the Kronoberg county police, told the Times: ‘The boy has told us what he did and how he did it and there is a confession in that.’

There were no family ties between the boys and police have declined to comment on a motive.

More than 65 children, aged between 5 and 15 have been questioned during the investigation, which has involved more than 35 police officers.